Hostilities against local politicians on social media could prevent many from running for municipal and city council elections in the coming year. “Of course I know that it is becoming increasingly difficult to fill these lists, because unfortunately a mandate also becomes public very quickly at the municipal level – and is also commented on on social media,” said Association President Steffen Jäger of the German Press Agency in Stuttgart.
In the coming year, the local elections will vote on the municipal and local councils in the 1101 towns and communities in the state as well as on the members of the district councils in the 35 districts and the regional assembly of the Stuttgart Region Association. The election will take place together with the European elections on June 9, 2024.
Jäger also complains about the declining appreciation of people who are active as community or city councillors. “Unfortunately, respect for people who bear responsibility is decreasing,” he said. That’s not a good development. “In a representative democracy, we depend on the fact that there are people who are willing, in their free time and usually not for millions in compensation, to contribute their energy and time to the success of the common good.”
Municipal and city councils are increasingly confronted with violence. Last year, attacks on public sector employees in Baden-Württemberg reached a new high. As the Interior Ministry announced in June, 1,195 employees were victims of violence last year. According to the ministry, these include teachers, employees in hospitals, job centers or citizen registration offices as well as municipal elected representatives, i.e. mayors or local councillors. In 2021, 1,041 public sector employees were victims of violence.
Applicants for the committees no longer have to give their full address on the ballot paper in the next local elections. The Ministry of the Interior had recently changed the local election regulations accordingly. Instead of the full address, only the place of residence is given in mayoral elections. In the case of municipal and local council elections, the district is also given, as this can represent a decisive criterion for the voters. Interior Minister Thomas Strobl (CDU) justified the change with increasingly frequent attacks on local politicians.
Hunter welcomed the change. “It can help to protect candidates a little more in both full-time and honorary positions,” said the president of the municipal council. He is optimistic that “there will be enough good people who want to work for the common good in their place of residence”.
